SABC under siege - again

Led by Virginia Magwaza-Setshedi of the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) - an organisation branded by Mpofu as a bunch of right wingers - the protesters marched through the streets of Braamfontein and Auckland Park, singing revolutionary songs and vowing to 'teach' Mpofu and Snuki Zikalala a 'real lesson'.

They belonged to organisations such as the Traditional Healers Organisation of Africa (THO), Anti-Privatisation Forum (APF), Soweto Electricity Crisis Committee, Soweto Concerned Residents, Socialist Party of Azania (SOPA) and many others.

But they all had one thing in common: they were socialists and calling for the 'capitalism-infested' SABC to provide a fair and balanced coverage free from prejudice and discrimination. They also accused the pubic broadcaster of ignoring crucial community-based issues and silencing the voices of reason.

Some of their placards read: "SABC belongs to people not to Snuki", "Remove all discriminatory adverts", "Snuki's blacklist", "SABC is not a Bulgarian university", "Our space is for people not for the rich", and "Down with TV licences".

Arrogant

Jennifer Makoatsane, of ICT's FXI programmes, told Bizcommunity.com: "These people are poor and have a lot of issues related to service delivery that they want to raise with the government through the media. But they feel that the SABC is not broadcasting their grievances. Poverty is not well-highlighted on TV, which is full of Jacob Zuma's news."

Makoatsane also said that Mpofu and Snuki are arrogant because they boycotted two respective meetings, one in White City (Soweto) and one at the Methodist Church in Joburg CBD, where people wanted to voice their concerns peacefully.

Traditional healers want the Med-Lemon advert - in which a medical doctor operating in a sangoma's consulting room is shown giving a shivering patient a Med-Lemon concoction instead of muti (traditional medicine) - to be withdrawn from TV.

THO President Themba Twala told Bizcommunity.com: "This advert undermines and prejudices our profession, and makes us look like a bunch of fools. We want it off the air right now."

Teargas

On arrival at the SABC headquarters, police blocked marchers from entering the premises. Scuffles broke out. Teargas was sprayed on protesters - and some of them as old as 50 and over 60 years were manhandled by police. One SAPS member even told a female protester that if she did not calm down, he would have to shoot her. The scene was reminiscent of protests during the apartheid era.

Undeterred, protesters remained, dancing, singing and shouting."

Addressing the marchers, FXI executive director Jane Duncan said: "We are here to support these people because they are poor and voiceless and they are fighting for social justice and equality. The SABC is failing to highlight their plight and it is also suppressing their voice because it is being controlled by the state.

Duncan added that they are disappointed that the SABC still has confidence in Zikalala well after he was found guilty of news censorship and blacklisting by a commission of enquiry.

Mpofu was not present as he was attending the Sithengi Film Festival in Cape Town. The memorandum was then handed over to chief financial officer Robin Nicholson. Spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago was also not available for comment.

Total Citizenship Empowerment?

On 20 April this year, the SABC launched a new strategic outlook called 'Total Citizenship Empowerment', a keyword it said will guide its corporate goals as it moves from a simple public broadcaster to a "people-orientated entity". The new outlook was meant not only to make a positive impact on the daily lives on ordinary South Africans, but empower them as well.

However, as the same ordinary citizens now confront the public broadcaster, observers are wondering seven months later whether 'Total Citizenship Empowerment' is just another talk-shop star in a South African sky full of unfulfilled promises.